Bangkok, Tokyo, Barcelona are world’s top workcation destinations; only one Indian city make it to the list

An Indian city has debuted among the world’s leading workcation destinations but failed to make the global top 10, ranking behind cities including Bangkok, Tokyo and Barcelona. The  IWG’s 2026 Work from Anywhere Index evaluates cities on factors including climate, broadband speed, accommodation, transport, food, culture and the availability of flexible workspaces.

According to the index, only Mumbai made it to the list.

Mumbai scored 77 points and ranked ahead of cities such as London and Miami. Bangkok topped the list with 106.5 points, followed by Tokyo at 96.5 and Barcelona at 95.5.

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The global top 10 comprised are as follows:

• Bangkok (Thailand)
• Tokyo (Japan)
• Barcelona (Spain)
• Porto (Portugal) 
• Vancouver (Canada)
• Budapest (Hungary)
• Naples (Italy)
• Medellin (Colombia)
• Lisbon (Portugal)
• Seoul (South Korea)

MUMBAI’S DEBUT

Mumbai scored strongly on transport costs, availability of coworking and flexible workspaces, climate and accommodation. However, it lost points on broadband speed and quality, availability of local events and the happiness index.

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IWG said Mumbai’s inclusion reflected the growth of India’s remote-work infrastructure and the city’s appeal to professionals looking to combine work and travel. India is the largest flexible office market in the Asia-Pacific region, with 79.7 million sq ft of stock across its top eight cities as of the second quarter of 2025. This is expected to cross 100 million sq ft in 2026.

WFA = WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The rankings come as work-from-anywhere policies become more widespread. IWG’s research found that 51% of workers said their employers already offer such a policy. Of those surveyed, 90% said it had improved their work-life balance, while 80% said it had improved productivity.

Workcations are also becoming more popular, with 48% of workers planning to extend a holiday or mini-break by working remotely in 2026. Another 46% said they were more likely to do so than last year, while 43% had already worked remotely from a holiday destination without using annual leave.

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Avoiding burnout and supporting wellbeing was the biggest reason cited for extending trips through remote work, at 54%, followed by spending more time with family and friends at 53% and making annual leave go further at 52%.

Reliable Wi-Fi remained the top consideration when choosing a workcation destination, cited by 38% of respondents. More affordable travel and accommodation would motivate 46% to extend a trip through remote working.